Hydraulic clutch



llvlay 21, 1935. E, H FAHRNEY 2,002,367

HYDRAULIC CLUTCH V Fil/ed March 20, 1935 2 SheeS-Sheet 'l Q BY ATTORNEY May 21, 1935. E. H. FAHRNEY HYDRAULIC CLUTCH Filed March 20, 1953 INVENToR.

TToRNEY BW A Patented May l21, 1935 UNITED l STATES PATENT A OFFICE -HYDRAULIC CLUTCH EmeryH. Fahrney, Oak Park, lll.

Application March 20,

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in hydraulic clutch, particularly adapted though not necessarily limited in its use, for connecting a driving and driven shaft, and one of the objects of the invention is to provide a clutch of this character embodying two series of friction creating discs or surfaces, the discs of one series being connected to one of the elements and alternately arranged with respect to the other series of discs, which latter are connected with the other y of the elements, and improved means whereby fluid may be circulated under pressure against a plunger. for forcing the lateral faces of the discs into and for maintainingthem in contact to lock the driving and driven elements for rotation in unison.

A further object is to provide improved means for controlling the circulation of the pressure creating medium and the releasing of the discs with relation to each other.

A further object is to provide improved means for locking or securing the discs with relation to the respective driving and driven elements.

To the attainment of these ends and the accomplishment of other newand useful objects as will appear, the invention consists in the features of novelty in substantially the construction, combination and arrangement of the several parts, hereinafter more fully described and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawings illustratlng this invention, and in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view, with parts omitted and' parts broken away, of a clutch of this character constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention.

Figure 2 is a detail sectional view taken on line 2 2, Figurey 1, with parts omitted.

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view taken on line 3-3 Figure 1, with parts omitted.

Referring more 'particularly to the drawings, the numeral I0 designates a driving shaft and II a driven shaft, which are to be connected for rotation in unison.

Mounted upon vthe driving shaft for rotation therewith is a. housing I2 provided with acircumferential flange I3 and having an open side. This housing may be keyed to the shaft I0 if desired, as at I4,and a collar or shoulder I5 may be provided against which the housing abuts to assist in preventing a. movement of the housing longitudinally upon the shaft I0.

The driven shaft II is journaled in a suitable bearing I6 in the wall I1 of an enclosing casing in which the housing I2 is arranged. Mounted upon the driven shaft Il for rotation therewith 193s, semi N. maza (c1. 19a-ss) is a head I8 which is secured to the shaft II for rotation therewith in any suitable manner suchas by means of a key I9, and a collar or shoulder 20 may be provided on the shaft I I against which ,the head I8 abuts so as to prevent longitudinal 5 movement of the head upon the shaft II. The head is provided with a bearing 2| into which one extremity of the driving shaft I0 projects and the extremities of the driving and driven shafts are preferably located in close proximity to each 10 other.

Within the'housing I2 and preferably secured to the inner face of the flange I3 and arranged circumferentially about the flange are a series of ribs 22 suitably spaced, and arranged upon the 15 hub portion 23 of the'head It, and which hub portion projects into the housing I2, are similar ribs or projections 24 suitably spaced from each other circumferentially of the hub. If desired, the hub portion may be reduced as at 25 to form 20 a shoulder 26 so as to assist in maintaining the friction creating elements in position.

The numeral 2l designates a series of friction creating discs or members which are provided with projections 28 arranged circumferentially 25 thereabout, and these projections 28 are adapted to enter the spaces between adjacent ribs 22 on the inner surface of the ange i3 of the housing I2. The discs are annular and encompass the extremity of the driving shaft I Il, the inner diam- 30 eter of the annular discs being slightly greater than the external diameter of the ribs 215 on the hub23 of the head i8.

The discs 21 are spaced laterally from each other, and alternately arranged with these discs 35 are another series of discs 29 which are annular in conguration and are provided with projections 3|l extending V'from their inner circumference, and these projections 30 extend into the spaces between the ribs 24 ony the hub 23. The 40 external diameter of the discs 29 is slightly less than the distance between the outer faces of the ribs 22 on the flange I3 of the housing I2.

With this arrangement it will be manifest that the discs of one series are alternately arranged with respect to the other series, and al1 ofthe discs of one series are slidably connected with the flange I3 of the housing I2, while the discs of the other4 series are slidably connected with the ribs 24 on the hub -23 of the head I 8.

The head I8 is provided with a peripheral flange 3| to provide a chamber 32 encompassing the shaft II, and this .chamber is provided with an open side arranged in proximity to the open side of thehousing I2. The external diameter 55 theopen lsides of the housing I2 and the chamber- 32 bein in close proximity to each other. Ara ed within the chamber 32 is an annular 'piston or plunger 33 which forms a closure for the chamber and a protecting member or plate 34 may be provided upon the plunger 33. The protector 34 may be constructed of any suitable material and is preferably channel shaped, so as to act in the nature of a packing to asist in forming a huid tight joint between the plunger 33 fand the wall of the chamber. A plurality of rods 36, any number of which may be provided, may be connected to the plunger 33 as at 36, preferably by screwing the same thereinto and the extremity of the rods passl through a suitable opening in the member 34' and are held in position preferably by means of a nut 31 contacting with a washer 33. The rods project through suitable openings in the wall of the chamber and are provided at their outer extremity with nuts secure them in position.

These springs 4| are provided for the purpose v of moving the plungers 33 in a direction to rea desired differential speed lease the frictional contact between the discs 21 and 23 to permit the driving shaft to rotate independently with respect to the driven shaft, or at Theo numeral 44 designates a supply pipe leading from any suitable source of supply, such as a pump or the like, and this pipe communicates with an opening 4I in the bearing I3 of the shaft Il, the shaft being provided with an opening 44 with which the opening 45 communicates and 41 designates a passage in the shaft Il communicating with the passage 48, which latter discharges into the chamber 32. The end of the p 41 may be closed by a suitable closure 43. e

Arrangedwithin the pipe 44 is a valve casing Il having a rotatable two way valve 3l therein. This valve is controlled by'a handle l2 and leading from the casing 30 is an outlet '53 with which a pipe 34 connects. 'I'his pipe 54 may lead to any suitable point cf discharge or back to the 'sump of the.pump, if this clutch is used in connection with an engine.

The numeral 35 designates a suitable' relief valve set for a predetermined pressure and having a discharge outlet pipe I3 which leads to any suitable point of discharge or back Ato the pump sump. The relief valve has communication with the pipe 44 by means of a suitable passage I1.

In operation, lthe springs 4I tend normally to move the plunger 33 in a direction that there will be a free sliding contact between the discs 21 and 23, so that the driving shaft may rotate independently with respect to the driven shaft.

, When it is desired to lock the driving and driven shafts, the valve 5l is operated by means of the handle l2, so as to move the valve to the position shown in Figure l'. This will Permit fluid under pressure to ow through the pipe 44, through the opening 46, passage 46, passages 41 and 43, into the chamber 32 to exert its pressure against the plunger 33, and move the same in a direction to force the discs 23-21 into contact with each other, against the stress of the springs 4I. The pressure exerted upon the plunger 33 will hold the discs frictionally locked together and thereby lockthe driving shaft IU with the driven shaft Il for rotation in unison. Any excess pressure upon the fluid in the chamber 32 will be relieved by the relief valve 55.

When itis desired to release the clutch the valve 5I is moved by the handle l2 so as to con nect the outlet passage 53 with the portion of the'passage 44 which communicates directly with the chamber 32, so that the iluid pressure Ifrom the source being relieved from the chamber '32, the -springs 4I will overcome such pressure and move the plungers 33 backwardly to release the discs -21-29. The fluid displaced by such movement of such plunger 33 will flow through the pipe 54.

When the supply is cut olf by the valve 6| being so positioned, .any excess pressure upon the fluid before passing the valve 5I and when the latter is closed, will be relieved through the passage l1 and relief valve 55. Y

While the preferred form of the invention has been herein shown and described, it is to be understood that various changes may bemade in the details of construction and in the combination andarrangement of the several parts, within the scope ofthe claims, without departing from f the spirit of this invention. v

What is claimed as new is:

l.- An hydraulic clutch comprising a driving and a driven shaft, a housing secured to each of the shafts and each having an open side, the open sides of the housing being disposed adjacent each other and one telescoping into the other for a short distance, a series of laterally spaced friction discs secured to one of the shafts, a series of friction discs Asecured to the other shaft and` alternately arranged with respect lto the first said series, said discs being laterally shiftable, a

'plunger inone of said housings encompassing the shaft and contacting one' of the discs, resilient means normally moving the plunger in a direction to retract the plunger, means for directing a fluid under pressure into one of the housings to act upon the plunger'tomove it-against the stress Y of the said resilient means to force the discs into chamber, and a packing fitting in said channel and contacting thewall of the housing. l

2. An hydraulic clutch comprising a driving l(and a' driven shaft, a liousing'secured to each of the shafts and each having an open side, the

open sides of the housing being disposed adjacent each other and one telescoping into the other for a short distance, a vseries of laterally spaced friction discs secured to one of the shafts, a series of friction discs secured to the other shaft and l alternately arranged with respect to the rst said series, said discs being laterally shiftable, a plunger in one of said housings, a plurality of rods connected with the plunger and extending through 3. An hydraulic clutch comprising a driving and a driven shaft, a housing secured to each of the shafts and each having an open side, the open sides of the housing being disposed adjacent eachother and one telescoping into the other for a short distance, a series of laterally spaced friction discs secured to one of the shafts, a series of friction discs secured to the other shaft and alternately arranged with respect to the rst said series, said discs being laterally shiftable, a plunger in one of said housings, a plurality of rods connected with the plunger and extendin through the wall of the housing, springs encompassing the rods outside of the housing and tending normally to retract the plunger, means for introducing a fiuid into the housing to act upon the plunger to move the latter against the stress ofthe said springs, and a protecting casing individual to the rods and springs and secured to the outside of the casing to house the projecting portions of the rods and the springs.

EMERY H. FAHRNEY. 

